this bread is for the whole world

We pulled it off and mostly without a hitch too, which is AMAZING! Thank you to Central Lutheran Church for allowing the event to take place at their location. Thank you to all the churches that partnered to make this a huge success. Thank you to all who volunteered at the event too. Without your time and attention spent, this event could not have happened. Thank you so very much for your participation in this year’s event.

We served over 200 “neighbors” who really appreciated all the effort and the tangible items they were able to walk away with. Not only a hot meal in their tummies but also meals to go were backed away in their possessions; not only live music was enjoyed but some even won door prizes! The tasty locally brewed root beer (from Scuttlebutt) was gone in a flash and the never ending cookies, brownies and cookie bars were enjoyed. All the socks…wow…all of the socks and the shoes are now out in the community of neighbors where they are most needed. The YMCA really enjoyed their first endeavor/partnership opportunity with us and we look forward to more of that in the future.

People throughout Everett are collecting hundreds of pairs of new, warm adult socks to donate to homeless and low-income community members at the fifth annual “Socktoberfest” celebration held at Central Lutheran Church, located at 2702 Rockefeller Avenue on Sunday, October 23 at 5:00 p.m. That evening local residents and members of our homeless community will gather to enjoy live music, share bratwurst, locally brewed root beer, door prizes and fun. Socks will be distributed to all in need that evening.

This year we also plan to distribute gently used shoes donated by the Seattle organization, Redeeming Soles. There will also be a portable shower unit on site to provide the opportunity for people receive a hot shower.

Socktoberfest is a joint project of Central Lutheran Church and the Emmaus Community, a mission arm of Everett’s Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Socktoberfest began five years ago when then Everett Public Library employee, Debbie Paget, learned of the urgent need for warm socks during Everett’s winter months among the homeless individuals whom she met at the library. Paget together with the Emmaus Community and Trinity Lutheran College addressed that need with the first Socktoberfest in October 2011, distributing over 1,000 pairs of socks.

New adult pairs of socks may be donated for this year’s Socktoberfest event at locations across Snohomish County. These include:

Trinity Lutheran Church, 2324 Lombard Ave, Everett

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 215 Mukilteo Boulevard, Everett

Central Lutheran Church, 2702 Rockefeller Ave, Everett

Everett Public Library, 2702 Hoyt Ave, Everett

(with more locations popping up)

Cash donations toward the purchase of socks are also welcomed. Checks may be mailed or dropped off at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, PO Box 2927, Everett WA 98213. Please write “Socktoberfest” in the memo line. 100% of the money donated will go towards socks and a hot meal for those who attend this year’s event.

For more information, you may contact Leasha Brown, leashabloomfield@hotmail.com (425.293.3896)

Looking around Everett, it’s easy to see that there are many people in need. In an effort to reach out, we asked a few homeless folks what we could do to help them. What did they really need? Something simple? Something helpful? And the answer that always came back: SOCKS.
And so we’re collecting socks. Please donate New Adult Pairs. Collection bins can be found at various locations around Everett.

And then, on Sunday, October 25th at 6pm, all are invited to the Trinity Lutheran College commons (with or without socks) to celebrate the 3nd annual Socktoberfest! There will be live music, bratwurst, door prizes, locally brewed root beer free shower services and SOCKS!!!

Here are a few ways you can help:

1. Host a sock bin in your place of business or worship: Just contact us and we’ll provide you with what you need. A poster, a 1-sheet with the event info, and a sign for your sock bin. And if you need one, we’ll even get you a bin to collect the socks in.

2. Give a $ donation: 100% of the money donated to Socktoberfest will go towards socks, a hot meal for event attendees, and additional expenses for this year’s event. Every little penny helps!! Write checks to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church with “Socktoberfest” in the memo line. THANK YOU!!!

3. Volunteer: We’ll need help setting up, tearing down, decorating, greeting, BBQ-ing, serving rootbeer, sock modeling… you name it! Just let us know and we’ll include you in the day’s festivities. Many hands make light work, or so they say.

4. Donate socks: I don’t think it’s possible to collect too many socks for Socktoberfest. Last year we collected something close to 1,000 pairs! Let’s beat the record. Donate NEW ADULT SOCKS at a donation bin near you!

The sockless of Everett thank you for your help. And don’t forget, YOU’RE INVITED!!

Sincerely,
Sean Bendickson & The Emmaus Community

CONTACT: seanbendickson@gmail.com 253.279.2895

(The Emmaus Community is a mission of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran College, dedicated to service and justice in the Spirit of Jesus Christ in the city of Everett.)

A couple years ago, a small group of people in Everett decided that they needed something to bring the neighborhood together, something we could invite everyone to. Not a church service or a concert, a sports event or a political rally. No, we needed something a little more universal. Something everyone could enjoy. And of course, in the middle of summer, who doesn’t love ice cream?

And so, Trinity Lutheran College volunteered the space, and dozens of volunteers from all over the city stepped forward to pull together the first “Midsummer’s Ice Cream: An Ice Cream Social for the Whole Neighborhood” in July of 2012. It was definitely a wonderful event, with plenty of smiles and scoops of cool, ice-creamy goodness on that Sunday evening in the heart of Everett. Over 100 people from all over showed up to be a part of the festivities.

This year there are hopes for many more friendly faces. Ice cream has already been donated, and the space has been reserved. Musicians are signing up to entertain and ice cream scoopers are volunteering by the dozens. A special invitation is going out to the under-resourced and isolated in the community. A mobile shower facility will also be on-site for any who would like to use it.

This will be a time to make new friends, bring along your old friends, build community and have fun. No sermons will be preached, just plenty of ice cream, music and smiles. If you’re not sure if you’re invited… you are!

About a year ago, a small group of people in Everett decided that they needed something to bring the neighborhood together, something we could invite everyone to. Not a church service or a concert, a sports event or a political rally. No, we needed something a little more universal. Something everyone could enjoy. And of course, in the middle of summer, who doesn’t love ice cream?

And so, Trinity Lutheran College volunteered the space, and dozens of volunteers from all over the city stepped forward to pull together the first “Midsummer’s Ice Cream: An Ice Cream Social for the Whole Neighborhood” in July of 2012. It was definitely a wonderful event, with plenty of smiles and scoops of cool, ice-creamy goodness on that Sunday evening in the heart of Everett. Over 100 people from all over showed up to be a part of the festivities.

This year there are hopes for many more friendly faces. Ice cream has already been donated, and the space has been reserved. Musicians are signing up to entertain and ice cream scoopers are volunteering by the dozens. A special invitation is going out to the under-resourced and isolated in the community. A mobile shower facility will also be on-site for any who would like to use it.

This will be a time to make new friends, bring along your old friends, build community and have fun. No sermons will be preached, just plenty of ice cream, music and smiles. If you’re not sure if you’re invited… you are!